


there's no place like home

by red_streaks



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2018-03-29 03:20:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3880318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/red_streaks/pseuds/red_streaks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You put so much fate, excuse me, faith, on a fucking tattoo. A wonderful, loving, faithful tattoo that was supposed to be your happy ending, right?” She let the hand holding the dagger drop, and Regina could see the blood running against its blade.</p>
<p> “And it didn’t work out? No?” Emma stepped closer and straightened out, the edges on her eyes glowing white and sliver.</p>
<p>In which Emma becomes the Dark One</p>
            </blockquote>





	there's no place like home

**Author's Note:**

> So this has a lil bit of OQ but it ends in SQ, I hope you enjoy!

“Emma, you don’t have to do this.” Regina silently inched her way towards Emma, who was frowning down at the dagger in her hand. She flipped it over and ran a hand across its blade, watching as a small droplet of blood gathered on her finger.

“Emma, please.” Regina was getting closer now, and if she could get to Emma before anybody exited Granny’s, suspicious of their absence, she could save her.“This is what Rumple wants, you’re important to his plan. Please, don’t do this.”

“Did you know,” Emma started, her voice low and inviting, a fake cheerfulness behind it that made Regina stop in her tracks, “that _you_ are the reason why I have to do this?” Emma looked up, her hair falling around her, creating an eerie halo of light in the dark night.

She turned the dagger again and stepped closer towards a frozen Regina. 

“You put so much fate, excuse me, faith, on a fucking tattoo. A wonderful, loving, faithful tattoo that was supposed to be your happy ending, right?” She let the hand holding the dagger drop, and Regina could see the blood running against its blade. “And it didn’t work out? No?” Emma stepped closer and straightened out, the edges on her eyes glowing white and sliver. “I wonder why.” 

She looked down at the dagger and back up to Regina. “I could give that to you, you know. Let Rumple finish his plans. Let you be _happy_.” Emma spat the last word out and laughed cruelly, the dagger still spinning in her hand.

“I _am_ happy. You found him, you- you brought him to me.” Regina frowned, unwilling to believe she’s not ecstatic with Robin’s return, with the gift of a baby, with the gift of fated love.

“I also took him away once, and god, what I wouldn’t give for him to just _stay away.”_ Emma growled, her grip on the dagger increasing. “ You couldn’t just- just choose somebody else, Regina? You had to date a tattoo? A fucking. Tattoo?” She stepped closer and with each word, her eyes glowed deeper. 

“What are you talking about? I didn’t- there was never any other choice.” Regina stayed in place, slowly getting angry with the blonde.

“You didn’t look for anything else!” Emma’s hair flared out towards the end, and she took one step forward, almost face to face with Regina now.

“Where else was I supposed to look! He’s- he’s _mine_. It’s true love, it- it _has been_ for ages!” Regina matched Emma and took a step towards her, her eyes locked to Emma’s.

“You didn’t _choose_ anything Regina! You let yourself be swept up by a walking tattoo, you’d fall in love with anybody with that lion doodle!”

“That’s not- it’s _true love_!” Regina’s eyes flickered between Emma’s, both of them frowning at each other, the dagger forgotten.

“Do you really believe that? Are you happy?” Regina could feel Emma’s breath against her face now. “Does this feel like _Daniel_?” Emma sneered and Regina’s lip snarled over her teeth.

“How dare you? This is-”

“Different? Oh, I bet. The Evil Queen choosing, breaking free from fate and doing what she never could. Does he make you feel free?” Emma laughed again, pushing closer to an angry Regina.

“And what- you could give me this?” Regina softened while Emma lips widened in an empty smile.

“Of course! I can just, _poof_ , leave Zelena here, give you three children and a faithful husband, and let you _choose_ your happy ending!” Regina frowned, her question going unanswered.

“Rumple has already written the rules. You can’t just- you can’t change that.”

“Well, of course I can! I’ll be the Dark One, I can do anything!” Regina’s frown deepened, her thoughts all over her head. The blonde wanted to ensure her happy ending, but was- angry with her?

Emma’s smile widened painfully. “Isn’t that the same as falling for someone you were fated to love?” She raised the dagger in between them and Regina could see the name shimmering and blurring.

“No- that isn’t. Emma, I didn’t have anything else to choose from!”

“You could have looked for _me_! Me against that _disgusting_ man!” Emma’s eyes flickered frantically between Regina’s eyes, and she was breathing with difficulty.  “Fated love or something you actually fucking choose, Regina- which one makes you free?” Emma licked her lips and searched Regina’s face.

“I- I would have-. I could have chosen you.” Regina said lowly, admitting the truth to the blonde.

Emma laughed loudly and tilted her head back, stretching her arms out. The tips of her hair flared out once more, and Regina was captivated in her wild look.

“You wouldn’t have chosen me if I dangled your “happy ending” in front of you! You would have stayed in what’s safe and boring and _planned_.” Emma continued laughing and looked at the dagger again. “No, no- you would have given him everything.” Emma twirled the dagger and smiled down at it.

“I didn’t know- Emma I would have chosen you!” Regina said fervently. “If you would have- said, or shown something I would have-”

“That’s the point! You weren’t looking! You were- you weren’t looking at _me_!” Emma threw her hands out again, her eyes wide and shining wildly. “No, you were too busy faking being happy, and you know I would have given you everything if you’d chosen me!” Emma turned around, walking a few feet away, and hunched her shoulders before turning around dramatically. “You stayed with him. That’s on you- and I can at least give you everything you wanted. I can make you happy.” 

Emma raised the dagger slowly, locking eyes with Regina. her body shook with energy and light, and for an instance Regina thought she’s failed. 

Thunder flared and lit the sky anew, and dozens came out of the diner, surrounding them both. Regina took a step closer before someone’s arms wrapped around her. 

“Emma, Emma- please!” Emma’s eyes closed tightly, her extended arm shaking. Snow and Charming shouted from their place behind Emma, but Emma only faced Regina- her entire body began to shake. 

Regina broke free from Robin and ran to Emma- who opened her eyes that were nearly turning completely white, the green barely visible.

“Don’t do this. Emma!” Regina shrieked over the thunder, the wind and Emma shook her head, biting her lip.

“Please, please, Emma I’d choose _you_.”

“I just want you to be happy. I can make that happen, I can leave the titles here, I can make myself happy-I can _make you happy._ ” Emma’s voice lost it’s edge and as her body convulsed, she looked at Regina imploringly. 

“You won’t remember. I won’t know you. You can be happy.” And with one last shake, the entire sky went white before a dark grey mist appeared. 

Regina tore her eyes from her sky and cupped her hand over Emma’s cheeks. 

“I can- I’ll-. I’ll find you.” Regina pulled a face at repeating Snow’s words, but remained with Emma.

Emma shook her eyes and said, “You won’t remember.” She lowered the dagger and searched Regina’s face once last time before turning on her heel, straight into the rapidly approaching mist. 

“Emma!” Regina was held back once more by Robin, his arms too tight around her middle.

With one quick glance at the mist, now a few feet away from the diner, Regina called forth her magic at the tip of her fingers and rolled her sleeve up desperately. 

She traced Emma’s name on her forearm, the letters stinging with every shake Robin gave her, until she broke free and finished the name elegantly.

It wasn’t a tattoo, but this, this she could choose. 

* * *

“Regina? Love, could you get the babe?” Regina woke to the searing pain of her arm throbbing against the sheets. She blinked rapidly at the ceiling before looking down at her arm. A strange scar was peeking out of her night gown and she reached to uncover the full wound.

“Regina? I can’t do both at the same time.” The sound of Roland crying snapped Regina into action and she looked for her slippers in the slight morning light.

She gathered a crying Roland in her arms and took him to the small kitchen filled with mismatched pots.

“He’s your child too, dear.” She hip checked Robin and pecked him on the cheek, the burning scar forgotten over the smell of breakfast. 


End file.
